Ah, February! Already one month into the New Year, and we've got so much to share with you! Professional spoken word artist Jim Weiss stops by the studio to spin some yarns and talk shop with Evan. Mr. Weiss has narrated countless stories from Tall Tales to Greek Mythology, and U.S. History to Classic Fables. You've probably heard his version of The Tortoise and the Hare - it's pretty epic!!! Plus, get ready for the most dramatic reading of a cereal box...maybe ever? Speaking of drama: steel your nerves and brace your tastebuds - it's another edition of Feeding Ben Stuff! This time, it's Nichole's turn. Tune in to find out what never-before-heard-of-flavor-combination they invent this time! Then, get ready for a real cool treat!!! Introducing: SNOW ICE CREAM! That's right, we go to our test kitchen (and our backyard) to bring you a wonderful wintertime recipe that's sure to be a new favorite! We have a Grandparent story from Blake in Cary, Illinois and his Grandma, who grew up on a farm in Kansas! And, get ready for one of the original supernatural mysteries as Cryptid Corner explores the treacherous Bermuda Triangle! Plus, we share a few tricks for remembering how many days are in each month. You know, because February! Not to mention hilarious jokes, a mind-bending riddle, and a fantastic favorite sound. So grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always, keep it WILD!!! Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message. Timestamps for this episode are available below. 00:00 - Episode 19 Intro 01:35 - Jim Weiss Spins His Yarns 11:58 - Animal Call! 12:22 - How Many Days in a Month? 15:02 - Riddle Clue 15:29 - Favorite Sound 16:21 - Call for Submissions! 16:48 - Feeding Ben Stuff Part III: Nichole's Turn 29:08 - Animal Call Reprise 29:57 - Grandparent Stories: Blake's Grandma 33:47 - Animal Call Reprise Part II 34:28 - Joke Time! 35:25 - Snow Ice Cream! 40:34 - Animal Call REVEAL 41:11 - Cryptid Corner: The Bermuda Triangle 46:10 - Riddle Answer 46:36 - Preview of Episode 20 46:49 - Credits + Calls for Reviews + Word of Mouth! 47:22 - Bloopers! *** To hear more of Jim Weiss's storytelling, head to: jimweiss.com & welltrainedmind.com Animal Call samples clips from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library, by Allen, Gunn, Johnson, Maia, and Patterson; and "Intergalactic" by The Beastie Boys, © Capitol Records and Beastie Boys, 1999. wildinterest.com

Hey Wildings, welcome to the New Year! If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, you've tuned into the right frequency! We have our very own supernatural elder, none other than Bobby the Bigfoot, join us in the studio for a very extensive, expansive, and enlightening look at the tradition of marking another trip around the Sun, aka the birthday of The Year?! We talk other new beginnings, like resolutions (got any, wildings?) and what it's like to move. Evan's got a real feisty Cryptid this time - don't call it a Marmot! And, we're graced by the cosmic presence of astronomer Wendy Freedman, who chats Dark Matter, Dark Energy, the EXPANDING UNIVERSE, and, oh ya, the new project she's working on called the Giant Magellan Telescope that will be able to see the very first starlight. Yeah, we're starting the year off right, Wildings - so grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always, keep it WILD!!! Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message. Timestamps for this episode are available below. 00:00 - Episode 18 Intro 01:19 - Reelin' in the (New) Years with Bobby the Bigfoot 12:42 - Favorite Sound 13:31 - Call for Submissions 13:58 - The Expanding Universe with Wendy Freedman   23:51 - Riddle Clue 24:19 - New Year's Resolutions 26:19 - Joke Time! 27:07 - Cryptid Corner: The Barbegazi 29:25 - Unpacking the Big Move 33:08 - Grandparent Stories: Naomi and Levi's Grandmother Nonna 40:07 - Riddle Answer 40:40 - Preview of Episode 19 41:32 - Credits, Call for Reviews, and Word of Mouth 42:05 - Bloopers wildinterest.com

Join us as we get into the holiday spirit with a special Christmas-themed episode! Frankincense sounds intense... what the heck is myrrh? Learn about the three wise men, also known as the Magi, and the gifts they carried across the desert. Pucker up as we unravel the mysteries of mistletoe, and hear all about Three Kings Day, which comes 12 days after Christmas and is believed to be the day the Magi first saw the baby Jesus. Our special correspondent Rio tells us how he celebrates Christmas in Puerto Rico, and we get to enjoy a special holiday song from musician OK Ivy. All that plus Grandparent Stories, jokes, songs, and a real stumper of a riddle. To hear the original, longer version of Wild Interest producer Scott Gurian's story about parranda Christmas caroling in Puerto Rico, check out his podcast Far From Home. Music in this episode included Act II Hygro by Jo Wandrini courtesy of Epidemic Sound. Timestamps for this episode are available below. Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message:  www.wildinterest.com/submissions 0:00 - Christmas Special Intro 1:28 - Three Kings Day 6:29 - Joke Time 7:04 - Call for Submissions 7:31 - The Music of OK Ivy 13:32 - Favorite Sounds 15:03 - Riddle Question 15:24 - Singing a Christmas Round 16:27 - The Meaning of Mistletoe 21:07 - Frankincense and Myrrh 22:27 - Christmas Caroling in Puerto Rico 26:25 - Grandparent Stories 33:56 - Riddle Answer 34:17 - Christmas Reflections 34:58 - Twas the Night Before Christmas 39:38 - Call for Reviews 40:00 - Show Credits 40:39 - Bloopers wildinterest.com

Buckle up buttercups! In this thrilling Wild Interest, we mic Evan up for the first HUGE rollercoaster ride of his life. Listen to Evan shriek as he whips around Candymonium, the tallest, fastest, and longest coaster at Hershey Park. Then listen to Nichole harangue Evan for being too short to go on a zipline by himself. (Typical big sister behavior.) Finally, hear them both shout to the treetops as they whizz along the longest zipline in Central America. Brooklyn’s PS 66 gets in the mix with a mind-bending riddle; Dean in New Paltz, NY interviews his grandma; and Gianna in New Jersey shares her favorite sound. Oh, and there’s even a Cryptid who rides rollercoasters. Leave it to Evan. Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message. Timestamps for this episode are available below. 00:00 - Episode 17 Intro 01:28 - Rollercoasters! 04:18 - Hershey Park 05:08 - Evan's First Big Rollercoaster Ride: Candymonium 07:27 - Riddle Clue from PS 66 in Brooklyn   07:53 - Ziplines! 11:11 - Favorite Sound 11:47 - Call for Submissions 12:14 - Cryptid Corner: Rollercoaster Ghost Riders 15:09 - Joke Time 15:53 - Grandparent Stories: Dean's Grandma 20:14 - Riddle Answer from PS 66 in Brooklyn 20:37 - Credits 20:48 - Call for Reviews & Word of Mouth 21:10 - Bloopers wildinterest.com

Good gravy, it's Thanksgiving already! We have everything you need for Turkey Thursday. Entertain your family with jokes, facts, and riddles. Maybe your uncles start arguing about politics. Quick -- you need to intervene! We've got you! Teach them to sing Freres Jacques! Nothing stops grown-up bickering better than singing a round. And we check in with a real live turkey just like we did last year. But this year we ask the question on everyone's mind. The elephant in the room. The question no turkey wants to hear. We risk life and limb to get answers up close and personal in the turkey pen. That's the kind of commitment we have to our listeners. We then hear a special report from Crow Agency Elementary in Montana to mark Native American Heritage Month. And we hear about yummy Thanksgiving food from students in Monticello, Georgia. As if that wasn't enough, we warm the cockles of your heart with the sweetest moments from this year's grandparent stories. Maybe YOUR grandparents will be inspired to record an interview with YOU to air on Wild Interest! Hint hint! Happy Thanksgiving y'all!!! Timestamps for this episode are available below. Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message:  www.wildinterest.com/submissions 0:00 - Episode 18 Intro 1:43 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Angelica and Nonno Luigi from Ep. 9 Animal Talk: Part One 4:20 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Lily and Grandpa Mike from Ep. 10 Music Makers (Side A) 8:19 - Fun Turkey Facts 12:08 - Joke Time 12:58 - Talking Names for Native American Heritage Month at Crow Agency Elementary in Montana 16:04 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Evan and Grampy Lolo from Ep. 10, Christmas Special  18:44 - Facts to Share at Thanksgiving 20:51 - Talking Thanksgiving at Jasper County Middle School 22:12 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Malia and Grandma from Ep. 10 Music Makers (Side A) 25:04 - Chef’s Favorite Sound 26:01- Call for Submissions 26:26 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Hannah and Grandma from Ep. 11 The Senses 29:04 - Triple Riddle Clues 30:00 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Nora, Tom, and Grandpa Vincas from Ep. 12 Miracle on Ice 33:10 - Makin’ Gravy 35:45 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Anjali and Doda Carmen from Ep. 13 Philippine Independence Day  37:43 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Lucas and Abuela Eileen from Ep. 14 Music Makers (Side B)  41:17 - Family Time: Singing a Round - Frère Jacques 43:38 - Best of Grandparent Stories: Dean and Papa Artie from Ep. 17 Animal Talk: Paw Two 46:09 - Brand New Interview With a Turkey 48:26 - Triple Riddle Answers 49:46 - Conclusion 50:20 - Show Credits 50:31 - Preview of Episode 19 50:52 - Bloopers wildinterest.com

People use language to express themselves, but do you ever wonder how other animals communicate with each other? If they don’t speak like us, how do they convey information? In our first Animal Talk episode we learned about the complex ways animals communicate, and how some species even have their own languages and dialects. In “Paw 2” we find out even more about the amazing world of animal talk, and about the science behind linguistic development in animals. Evan interviews Dr. Irene Pepperberg, research professor at Boston University in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences about her groundbreaking work with Alex the African Grey Parrot. Dr. Pepperberg worked with Alex for 30 years and taught him over 100 English words. Not only was Alex able to communicate with humans, he even asked what color he was when looking at himself in the mirror, becoming the first known non-human to ask a question! Nichole goes beneath the waves with Dr. Aude Pacini from the Marine Mammal Research Program at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Dr. Pacini records whale and dolphin song with sophisticated underwater microphones. She was part of an expedition where the world-class cellist Yo Yo Ma played music for whales from the deck of a famous Hawaiian canoe! Evan takes us down to North Georgia with Project Chimps, a chimpanzee sanctuary where over 90 retired lab chimps roam freely on six protected acres of forest. Our hosts are also joined by the very human creator of the Brooklyn Folk Festival, Eli Smith, who plays some banjo for us and talks about the upcoming festival this November 7-9. This episode is jam-packed, but don’t worry, we still found room for favorites like Cryptid Corner, Grandparent Stories, jokes and more. Let’s get wild! Listen now and have a whale of a time - this episode's a hoot! Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message. Timestamps for this episode are available below. 00:00 - Episode 16 Intro 01:36 - Dr. Irene Pepperberg & Alex, the African Grey Parrot 14:03 - Joke Time 14:57 - Cryptid Corner: The Wow! Signal 20:09 - Riddle Clue  20:31 - Deep Listening with Dr. Aude Pacini 27:48 - Favorite Sound 28:35 - Call for Submissions 29:02 - Eli Smith & the 2025 Brooklyn Folk Festival  34:44 - Going Ape at Project Chimps with Caregivers Lauren and Tawnya 44:31 - Grandparent Stories: Papa Artie 48:22 - Riddle Answer 49:00 - Preview of Episode 17 49:13 - Credits 49:45 - Bloopers The background music in our interview with Dr. Aude Pacini features audio of live performances by Hawaiian musicians Gary Haleamau and Ledward Kaapana, as retrieved from the Library of Congress. wildinterest.com

Hey Wildlings! Do you ever wonder about things that go “bump” in the night? Do you love ghost stories? What about murky mysteries of the supernatural?  In this episode we’ll tickle all your scary bones with a marvelous mashup of Halloween fun! You’ll find out just where Halloween traditions like pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating come from as Nichole and Evan trace the holiday all the way back to its ancient roots. You’ll learn of a peculiar American hometown custom of telling jokes if you want to get your sweet reward. We’ll teach you some spooky jokes, too — just in case you need one or two to get your hands on that sweet candy!  If you love cryptids, you’re in for a treat, not a trick! Evan presents a who’s who of the weirdest, wackiest, and most hotly contested unverifiable creatures out there. Is Bigfoot bashful, brave or boring? Was that a smudge on the windshield, or the mythological Mothman? Do you believe in the Yeti yet or is the idea abominable? Are you a foe of UFOs or a friend to the little grey men? Can you cope with the Jackalope?? Get your candy out, sit back, and get ready for our haunted, hilarious Halloween episode. Let’s get wild! Listen now and discover the spookiest creatures around! Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message. Timestamps for this episode are available below. 00:00 - Episode 16 Intro 01:19 - Spooky in St. Louis 05:58 - Joke Time: Halloween Edition 06:49 - Coming Up with Costume Ideas at Crow Agency Elementary 08:13 - Bigfoot (from Ep.1 "Beneath the Surface") 13:15 - The Yeti (from Ep. 10 "Music Makers (Side A)") 15:51 - Haunted Halloween History  17:29 - UAPs (from Ep. 3 "UFO Tofu") 22:03 - Area 51 (from Ep.7 "Good Vibrations") 25:34 - Monoliths (from Ep. 4 "Wild and Wonderful") 28:59 - The Jackalope (from Ep. 5 "Folks like Us") 30:57 - Jack O'Lanterns 31:39 - Dover Demon (from Ep. 6 "Tracking") 34:00 - The Loveland Frogman (from Ep. 8 "Dirt") 36:57 - Mothman (from Ep. 2 "Beneath the Surface") 39:37 - Evan's Top Secret Cryptid Corner 43:49 - Conclusion 44:37 - Preview of Ep. 17 45:31 - Credits 45:54 - Bloopers wildinterest.com

Have you ever had that dream where you arrive at school but something’s a little… off? Join us for our Back to School Special where Nichole and Evan experience exactly that. Their plan to squeeze the most out of the final days of summer is thwarted when they doze off by the pool and fall into an unexpected dream that lands them back in the classroom. But this time they’re not students — they’re the teachers! Sharpen your pencils, Wildings: this is learning the Wild Interest way. Prepare to earn your Podcast PhD as our hosts show you an easy way to make ice cream cake at home, and a great prank you can play using a banana. Find out what a palindrome is, and memorize a catchy song that helps you learn the names of all 50 US states. Dive deep into why we have daylight saving time and leap years, and discover the science of solar eclipses from a real astronomer! But wait, there’s more! What’s ASMR? How do you play Concentration 64? How do honeybees communicate? (Hint: they get their groove on!) Kids will come out of this episode prepared to dazzle their schoolmates with scads of new astonishing knowledge — and you’re in store for another hilarious cameo from everyone’s favorite cryptid, Bobby the Bigfoot! Sit back, relax, and let’s get wild! Timestamps for this episode are available below: 00:00 - Episode 15 intro 02:50 - ASMR 05:40 - Cicadas 07:12 - How Honeybees Communicate 10:25 - Leap Years 12:28 - Solar Eclipses 15:18 - Daylight Saving Time 17:17 - Taste Explained 20:48 - Turkey Facts 23:43 - Ice Cream Cake 25:26 - Sliced Banana Prank 26:47 - Concentration 64 30:28 - Singing a Round: Row Row Row Your Boat 32:09 - Singing a Round: Frère Jacques 34:19 - States Song 36:02 - Palindrones 37:10 - Grammartime 39:30 - Magical Number Nine 42:45 - Fun Facts 44:41 - Nichole Wakes Up From Her Dream 46:22 - Credits 46:46 - Bloopers wildinterest.com

Can a podcast hosted by kids be truly awesome? Yes, it can! Wild Interest takes you on an amazing ride through science, fun facts, natural mysteries and more, all hosted by siblings Nichole and Evan. Perfect for your next road trip, school pickup, or anywhere you want to spark a conversation driven by curiosity. Enjoy the magic that happens when kids are inspired by other kids! wildinterest.com

Is music truly the universal language? And what in the world is the Voyager Golden Record doing floating around in space right now? In this episode of Wild Interest, sibling hosts Nichole and Evan continue their sonic exploration by taking a trip to Belize to sit in with drummers carrying on the African Garifuna tradition as they gear up for the epic "Battle of the Drums!" Then, they chat with bluegrass pioneer Ron Thomason of the Dry Branch Fire Squad about mandolins, guitars, horses, and how to turn your own body into a drum kit. But wait, there's more! Ever wonder what aliens might think of human music? Nichole and Evan dive into the incredible story of the Voyager Golden Record—a musical time capsule about life on Earth that's currently 15 billion miles away in interstellar space! Plus, in Cryptid Corner, Evan investigates the Fossegrim, a harmless but damp Norwegian creature who's suspiciously amazing at playing the fiddle. This episode features all your favorite segments: Animal Call, Grandparent Story, Favorite Sound, jokes and a riddle. Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message. Listen now and discover the wild rhythms that connect us all! Timestamps for this episode are available below. 00:00 - Episode 14 Intro 01:43 - Ron Thomason 08:59 - Animal Call Clue 09:28 - Word of Mouth 09:44 - Garifuna Drummers Kirwin Ramirez and Kayton Martinez 17:48 - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters 22:10 - Riddle Clue 22:28 - Favorite Sound 23:21 - Grandparent Stories: Eileen 29:59 - Animal Call Reprise 30:11 - Cryptid Corner: The Fossegrim 33:16 - Joke Time 34:03 - Call for Submissions 34:28 - Animal Call Reveal 35:42 - Voyager Golden Record 46:51 - Riddle Answer 47:16 - Preview of Episode 15 48:10 - Credits 48:34 - Bloopers Click here for tickets to Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters in Nashville wildinterest.com